


Nightmares and Thunderstorms

by RogueWolf



Category: RWBY
Genre: Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Massage, Nightmares, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-29 15:08:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6381226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueWolf/pseuds/RogueWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James knows that Qrow loves him. He even knows that Qrow doesn't mind the fact that he is half metal. But after waking up from nightmares, James finds it a little hard to believe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares and Thunderstorms

**Author's Note:**

> Have some feelsy Ironqrow!  
> I had the hardest time writing this because I had to keep stepping away and take a breaks. I also am hesitant to call it "smut," because it's so much more than that.
> 
> I am glad I wrote it though, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

This was the third nightmare that night. James sat at his desk, staring blankly at the grain of the wood and occasionally tracing the lines across the width of the desk. He just wanted to  _ sleep, _ to sink into painless, dreamless sleep and not see the glint of an Ursa’s claws or hear the sibilant hiss of a King Taijitus; he didn’t want to dream about the pain of losing his arm, his leg,  _ his body. _ But it wasn’t meant to be. 

He rubbed wearily at his eyes, felt them burn behind his eyelids, and thought wistfully of the bottle of whiskey Qrow had left sitting above his refrigerator. But James didn’t want to go that route; he didn’t want to hide his problems behind alcohol the way Qrow did and yet, he didn’t know what else to  _ do _ .

Lightning flashed, whitewashing the inside of James’ apartment before thunder rumbled through the sky. It was the first storm of the season and normally James would have enjoyed it, would have gone outside and lifted his face to the rain, breathed in the smell of water and lightning and just been. But with his nightmares fresh on his mind, the thought of going out into that roiling mess of chaos and noise made him feel nauseous and so he stayed at his desk, trying to think of nothing.

The next peal of thunder shook the building and James flinched and hunched over, his eyes shut tightly as though to block out the storm raging outside. 

“James?” A hand settled onto the back of his neck and James jolted, knocking the hand away and shoving himself back from his desk so fast that his chair knocked over. 

Qrow had his hands up and, as James watched, Qrow settled onto the heels of his feet. “Hey, it’s just me, James,” Qrow said softly. “It’s just your Qrow.”

“Qrow?” James repeated, his lips feeling numb. “What are you doing here?”

“I just got back into town,” Qrow told him, his voice still soft and even. “Figured I’d come visit you.” He took a slow step forward. “It’s just me, nothing to worry about.”

James felt himself start to tremble. “I keep seeing them,” he said, his voice cracking. “Everytime I close my eyes I see them and I  _ feel everything. _ And when I wake up I see  _ this. _ ” He held up his metal arm. “I see what they took from me and I just want it to  _ stop.” _

“Hey, hey James, shh,” Qrow soothed. He stepped closer, pausing between each step to check that James wasn’t going to lash out at him. He placed a careful hand on James’ shoulder and, when James didn’t object, pulled him close; Qrow wrapped his arms tightly around James and James buried his face against Qrow’s chest, his fingers - flesh only, Qrow noted - clutching at the hem of Qrow’s shirt. 

“I’m a freak” James muttered. 

Qrow frowned but didn’t pull away. Instead, he pressed the point of his chin to James’ head and rubbed it through his hair. “You’re not a freak,” he told James softly. 

James didn’t say anything, just kept his face hidden from Qrow; Qrow tried not to let his shoulder slump. “Hey, why don’t I make us some tea? We still have some of that chai left that you like.”

James was quiet for a long moment and then he nodded; he clung to Qrow when he started moving, so Qrow walked backwards to the kitchen, James pressed close against him the entire way. Once they reached the kitchen and Qrow flipped on the lights, James let go, sliding onto one of the bar chairs to huddle in on himself. Qrow let his hand rest against James’ cheek for a second and then he started heating up water. 

Neither of them spoke as Qrow pulled down cups and scooped out tea, but Qrow made sure to touch James whenever he passed him; a brush against his shoulder, a ruffle through his hair, a stroke down his face. Gradually, James’ body lost its tension and when Qrow placed a cup of chai in front of him, James straightened and took a sip without Qrow prompting him. 

They drank in silence, the rumble of thunder and the heavy fall of rain the only noise in the apartment besides the soft clink of china whenever they sat a mug down.

It didn’t take James long to finish his tea and Qrow looked at him, saw the smudges under his eyes and the way his hands were trembling lightly. “Come on,” he said and stepped around the kitchen bar to stand at James’ side. “Let’s get you to bed. You don’t have to sleep,” he said firmly when James made a low noise of protest, “but maybe you can rest.”

James sighed but followed Qrow to the bedroom. Qrow frowned at James’ sweat soaked pajamas. “I’m going to get you a new pair of pajamas, give me a second.” He crossed the room to the dresser half hidden in the corner and started rummaging through the drawers. 

“Here we are,” Qrow said, and turned around, only to freeze when he saw James standing behind him. “James?” Qrow put the pajamas down. “What’s wrong?”

James shook his head and bent down slowly to press his lips hard against Qrow’s. Qrow stared at him and then jerked his head back as much as he could. “What are you doing, James?” He demanded, but James didn’t respond, his eyes dull as he looked at Qrow. He reached for Qrow’s belt, tugging at it with jerky movements and Qrow grabbed his wrists, spinning them around until he had James pinned to the dresser.

“What are you doing?” He asked again, his voice harsh. 

“You like it when I jerk you off,” James said.

“I like it when you’re thinking properly and not still in nightmare land,” Qrow said flatly. His hands tightened around James’ wrist. “You’re in no position for sex right now.”

“But I’m good at it,” James responded; he sounded confused, “You don’t mind that I’m not fully human when we’re having sex.”

Qrow’s chest felt suddenly cold. “Just because you have prosthetics doesn’t mean you’re not human, James.” He let go of James’ wrists and took a step back. “You are a human. You have always been a human and you will always  _ be _ a human. Having a few metal bits doesn’t change that.” Qrow scrubbed a hand through his hair and fixed James with a hard look. “And I’m not with you for the sex. Sure, it’s nice, but that’s not why I wanted to be with you. I’d also like to remind you that I helped fix your prosthetics a couple of times, long before we ever got together. I didn’t have a problem with them them and I don’t have one with them now.”

Qrow let his hand fall to his side and he took a deep breath. “I know you don’t always believe me when I say that.  _ I know _ . But James, please, trust me when I say that I care about  _ you. _ I don’t care about the fact that you’re part metal; I care about the fact that you’re kind and sweet and always try to help people, even if it means you get hurt in the process.” James watched him, his eyes wide and bright. “I know you’re hurting; believe me, I get it. But James,” Qrow reached out and cupped James’ cheeks in his hands, drawing their foreheads together, “don’t ever think that I don’t love you.”

James closed his eyes. He was breathing too fast and, as Qrow held him, he shivered, sucked in a breath of air, and then tears started rolling down his face. He shifted and then his arms were wrapping around Qrow, holding him almost too tightly as James slumped against him, but Qrow didn’t complain. His thumbs wiped at the tears and he pressed a kiss to James’ temple as James cried silently against him. 

He didn’t cry for long though. With a muffled sniffle, he let himself fall against Qrow, trusting Qrow to keep him upright. Qrow carded his fingers through James’ hair, massaging his scalp gently for a few minutes before turning to the bed. “Come on, lay down for me.”

James wiped at his eyes and nodded. With Qrow’s help, he got on the bed. “Would you mind laying on your stomach?” Qrow asked, “Just for a little bit.” James nodded again and rolled over, moving the pillow so that he could rest his face half on and half off. 

Qrow kicked off his shoes and then knelt on the bed next to him. “I’m going to touch your back, is that ok?” 

“Yes,” James rasped out. 

“Ok,” Qrow said, and then his palms were flat against James’ back, not moving, just  _ there _ , and James breathed in sharply, feeling the weight and warmth of Qrow’s hands on him. 

Qrow let his hands rest there until James’ breathing settled and then he trailed them up to curl over James’ shoulders. He dug his fingers in, kneading the muscles and James groaned softly. Qrow couldn’t really massage the metal half of him, but he could rub his hand across it; he could let James feel his hands on him and know that Qrow was with him.

Qrow worked on James’ shoulders before letting his hands slide down his back, fingers, knuckles, palms, and elbows digging in, pushing soft grunts and moans from James as Qrow worked out the tension in James’ body. He moved to James’ ass, thumbs pressing hard on the pressure points there and James hissed softly. 

“Too hard?” Qrow asked, and James shook his head.

“No,” he slurred, “it’s good.”

“Good,” Qrow said, and James could hear the smile in his voice. He lifted his hands and shuffled down the bed so he could rest them against the James’ calves. He rubbed James’ legs gently and then started the massage again. 

James closed his eyes and let himself drift, Qrow’s fingers against him unlocking tension and pushing pain and pleasure throughout his body. When Qrow started kneading at James’ feet, he twitched - he hadn’t realized he was ticklish - and Qrow firmed his movements until James sagged back into the bed.

James was half asleep when he felt Qrow gently turning him over onto his back. “James?” Qrow asked hesitantly, “Is it ok if I take off your shirt?”

James felt himself wake up a little, apprehension flashing through him. He squinted up at Qrow.

“You can leave it on,” Qrow said, “it’s fine either way.”

James swallowed, licked his lips. “You can...take it off.”

Qrow nodded then set to work unbuttoning the line of buttons down the front of James’ pajama shirt. When he was finished, James sat up enough so they could tug it off and then he lay flat, too nervous to look at Qrow, scared that for all of Qrow’s pretty words about love, he’d be staring at James with disgust. 

Instead, Qrow placed his hands on James’ shoulders, his hands steady as he began his massage again. As Qrow’s hands moved down his body, James let his eyes slide shut again as he settled back into the ebb and flow of pain and pleasure. 

He drifted deeper this time, his mind finally full of  _ nothing _ but the knowledge that he wasn’t alone, that he was safe. He didn’t mind, then, when Qrow shifted on the bed, swinging a leg over his thighs and leaning over him. He felt Qrow’s hands skim down his arms and then Qrow’s mouth was on his neck, tongue tracing down the scars that snaked out from the metal that was joined to his collarbone. 

“Qrow?” He asked, confused and not knowing what he was supposed to do.

“It’s just me, Jim,” Qrow murmured, “just me.” He kissed the seam of metal and flesh, let his tongue dart out and dip into the hollows and grooves before kissing them as well. 

James’ mind was afire with the sensations - dull though they may be - as Qrow kissed and licked his way down his metal arm, tongue swirling around James’ fingers before he moved back to James’ neck and began again, this time alternating between the bright metal and the rigid line of scars that branched out across his skin. 

Qrow didn’t rush; he kissed every patch of skin, licked every line and scar he could find until James was trembling beneath him and he could feel tears burning in his eyes. 

“Qrow,” he gasped, his voice choked. “Qrow.” He reached out, wrapping his hands around Qrow and pulling him up for a kiss. And this time Qrow didn’t pull back. They kissed, softly, slowly, and James cried harder until he couldn’t see Qrow and he couldn’t breathe. Qrow moved then; he leaned over James to the nightstand, yanking out a handful of tissues from the tissue box and passing them James. As he settled back down atop James, he brushed against the front of James’ pants and they both realized that while James’ was half-hard. 

James stared up at Qrow through watery eyes, certain that Qrow would leave and not touch him, but he had to at least try. “Qrow,” he whispered. “Please? Just touch me.”

“Blow your nose,” Qrow said instead, and James blew his nose and wiped his eyes. When he could see clearly again, he saw Qrow studying him, his expression unreadable. “Are you sure?” He asked, and James nodded.

“Please,” he said again. “I trust you.”

Qrow closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Ok,” he said, “ok.” He moved off James and placed gentle hands at the waistband of his pajama pants. “Let’s get these off, then.”

Together, they rolled James’ pants and boxers down - James lifting his hips for Qrow - and Qrow tossed them over the bed to join his shirt on the floor. He pulled out the nightstand drawer and grabbed the bottle of lube James kept inside. “Scoot over a little,” Qrow said, and James scooted over until Qrow could lie on his side next to him, his head level with James’ shoulders.

“You’re not getting undressed?” James asked, confused and worried that maybe  _ he _ was the one pushing and that Qrow didn’t want to do this. 

Qrow shook his head. “This isn’t about me, Jim.” He leaned over to kiss James, more a brush of lips than anything else. “Ready?”

“Yes,” James said, and he was.

Qrow smiled at him and James couldn’t breathe, too overwhelmed by the tenderness in Qrow’s eyes. “All right,” Qrow said. He poured some of the lube onto his hand and then reached down to curl his fingers around James. 

James grunted as Qrow slowly ran his hand up and down his cock, letting the palm of his hand catch at the top before sliding back down to smooth his fingers over the skin where his balls used to be. Qrow didn’t before jerking James off at his usual speed; instead, he took his time, moving almost as slowly as James did as he stroked James gently. There was no roughness, no sense of urgency and yet…

James felt like he was falling apart faster than he ever had before. 

Qrow was silent against him and James almost missed his usual chatter, but when he glanced over he saw Qrow’s eyes focused on his face and he flushed. Qrow smiled and twisted his hand a little, just enough to make James moan low in his throat. “There we go,” Qrow murmured, and James moaned again, hearing how pleased Qrow sounded. 

He could feel arousal creeping up on him, not like a fire burning through a forest - hot and fierce - but the way water swept through the cracks in a wall, slowly eroding the structure until everything came crashing down. 

That’s what it felt like now; each stroke of Qrow’s hand brought a fresh wave of arousal, shivering its way up James’ spine to cascade down his arms and legs, to pool -churning - in his gut. “I’m close,” he moaned.

“I’ve got you,” Qrow told him. “I’ve got you James, come whenever you want.”

And as Qrow ran his hand one more time over the top of James’ cock, as he pressed another kiss to James’ metal shoulder, James felt his orgasm wash over him and he arched into Qrow’s hold, crying out as his vision spotted. 

He slumped back against the bed, staring up at the ceiling as he panted. Qrow wiped his hand off on one of the tissues James hadn’t used and then tugged at James until he was draped over Qrow’s chest and Qrow’s arms were wrapped tightly around him. 

James moved his head until he could hear Qrow’s heartbeat, thumping faintly against his ear. Qrow hummed and carded his fingers through James’ hair. James sighed and brought his metal hand up to rest against Qrow’s chest, absently tracing the tips of his fingers in circles and swirls. 

As Qrow started humming lullabies - ones James himself had once sung to Penny - James felt himself drift off again, warm and safe, with Qrow’s heartbeat thumping comfortingly against his ear and the sound of rain against his windows. 

**Author's Note:**

> [You can find me on tumblr here](http://roguewolfprints.tumblr.com)
> 
>  
> 
> Based on AniPendragon's prompt: Your prompt is... body worship. Make it as dirty as you want.  
> It ended up going more tender and loving than dirty, Ani. Hope you like it!
> 
> Comments are love.


End file.
